


The Sea Sprite

by TotallyNotADragon



Series: Tales From The Llyrs' Wrath [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Damsels in Distress, Fluffy Ending, Found Family, Gen, Grumpy Dad, Kidnapping, Light Angst, Pirates, mermaid, she saves herself tho, this was a school project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyNotADragon/pseuds/TotallyNotADragon
Summary: This was written for a school project ages ago, I'm currently debating if I should write a new story with this world/cast. I'll probably just do a bunch of one shots, with this as inspiration, rather than as canon.~A glimpse into the lives of a pirate crew, thats more family than coworkers, their grumpy captain (you're their dad don't lie), and their chaotic companions, a young woman "passing" for human, with her own fiery little friend.
Relationships: Original Character(s) & Original Character(s)
Series: Tales From The Llyrs' Wrath [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686880
Kudos: 3





	The Sea Sprite

There’s cold stone under my feet, a crowded street. People are talking but it’s only murmurs, their faces blur together, and it’s like I’m under water.

“You really like those don’t you?”

I turn and the street is empty, save a man in dark clothes, his eyes dangerous and sharp, as he talks to the small girl in front of him. She’s turned away from me and I can’t hear her response.

“I know where there’s a collection of strawberry bushes, they produce the sweetest fruits this time of year.” He smiles almost sincerely and it makes my hair stand on end.

She must have agreed, he turns and starts walking away, the girl following eagerly. Though the way is clear I can’t run after them, trapped by solid air. I can’t fill my lungs quick enough to yell at her to stop. 

Suddenly my legs start working, and I run to the corner to follow. Now treading down steps into a dungeon. It’s silent, and damp the cell doors are solid save a window. I don’t look, knowing what I will see. Knowing I can do nothing for them. At the end of the hall a small light flickers.

The cell door beside the light is open. There, on the floor lies the girl, and I don’t want to touch her. I remember what happens if I do. My hand reaches out on its own, brushing the hair from her face, and I’m staring into a mirror. A bloodied tear stained mirror. As I gaze into my own eyes, I urge her to stand, move, anything.

“Come on, save yourself. Fight this. Get up!” My voice switches from whisper soft to a shout.

“That won’t work.”

I look up from the floor, the person over me isn’t myself, but a strangely dressed man. Behind him the one who promised strawberries continues.

“She barely knows where she is, much less that she should leave,” he wraps his fingers around the hilt of a sword on his hip. “I could run her through and she wouldn’t flinch.”

“You can’t treat people this way! I won’t stand for it! Not from you or the rest of this forsaken country!” Then quietly, ”not anymore.”

Both stand face to face, movements slowed as my eyes drift closed.

***

I shoot straight up, nearly toppling from my hammock. With a quick glance around the camp, it’s clear that everyone else is still asleep. The sun is starting to rise over the stone window ledge. Someone else should be up on watch. Slipping from my hammock I tug my boots on, to keep out the cold damp stones.

The dream makes sense, one dilapidated castle for another. I’d hoped the hammock would prevent that, the distance from the hard floor should have worked. 

Never mind that though, I climb through the hole next to the door, as the door looks ready to crush whoever touches it next. The tall grass brushes my fingers as I walk towards one of the watch points. I follow the wall towards the cliff. Perched in a tree a few feet from the cliff I can see one of the crew. 

The bushes look thick so there won’t be any sneaking up on him, so I just shout.

“Hey, Isa, any trouble last night?”

He shifts on his perch in the tree, “hey Rei Rei, no problems out here. Well none to report.” He grimaces. “That little pest you call a friend though, the little verman, kept trying to spook me out of the tree! I don’t know why the captain tolerates the damn creature!”

With his ranting Isa doesn’t notice the little monster he’s talking about creeping up on the branch behind him. The fox-like creature with massive golden eyes crouches by his hip ever so slowly, and bites down hard on his belt snapping it instantly.

“Sonuva!” his shout sounds more like a singular word than anything else, he loses his balance toppling into the bushes below.

“Why didn’t you warn me brat?!”

“Err, there wasn’t enough time?” I don’t even believe myself.

His death glare does not go unnoticed but it does go ignored. 

“Come on Ember,” I pat my thigh and the little demon bounds after me all to pleased with herself. As the irate grumbling recedes and crewmen start pouring from the decrepit building, I find myself looking for my own target of torment. 

I see him sluggishly watching over the crew, a scarcely present smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Seeing that I almost feel bad for what I’m about to do, almost.

Quietly stepping up I can see he’s siping at, I think it's brandy, disgusting really. I now feel less bad, gathering breath to-

“Nereida what on earth?!”

***

“You easily jumped two feet in the air!” The cook cackles stirring lunch, something fish based.

“I absolutely did not!” I do sound indignant but it’s justified, sure I was gonna spook the captain. Yes, the first mate caught me. Maybe, maybe I jumped, though if I did the captain definitely jumped higher.

“Of course kid,” he’s still laughing but at least he’s trying to cover it up. “Hmm, could you grab the pepper, cabinet to your left.”

Just as I hop down from the counter the ship floor shifts from under me and I’m flat on my rear for the second time today. 

“Jesus! That’s probably not good.” Cookie grumbles, and I nod.

Getting up, I quickly find the pepper and toss it to him before dashing up on deck. I can see the building waves, dark clouds billowing out. Everyone rushing back and forth.

“Rei!” It's the captain. “Feel like making up for this morning? You have this area memorized, where's the nearest port, preferably friendly, though with this storm.”

He’s trailing so I cut in, “not too far sir, it's on the big island in the chain. North side west of here, so we might have to cut into the storm. With the way it's building the sooner we do that the better.”

“Fantastic, get below deck and keep stuff from getting too trashed.”

“Aye Captain Scaredy-Cat!”

“Brat.”

“Oi, this brat is saving your butt on a semi regular basis, shut up!” I miss his response as I go down, but I’ve got a few guesses knowing him so long.

***

When the ship finally stops rocking like a drunkard, I crawl up on deck, still a bit dizzy. I’m positive I have a few bruises from suddenly having walls appear in my path a few times, and the deck crew also looks worse for wear, yeesh.

Several are slumped against the mast. All drenched from the rain. That's not what breaks me in the end however, seeing everyone looking like depressed soaked ferrets. No what breaks me is the captain, standing tall and as authoritative as a confident parrot, but with the look of a rat who lost a fight with a mop bucket. 

That is what breaks my resolve. Starting soft and slow, but quickly building momentum, I’m soon sobbing with laughter which spreads faster than any plague to the rest of the crew. Stress pouring off them like the waves that caused it in the first place.

This goes on for a while before the captain finally shuts it down, correction, he tries.

“Alright folks, you've had your fun! Now lest you want to go back into that mess, back to your stations, we’re headed for the port.”

***

We make it with little trouble, could even call it smooth sailing. However there was trouble when we docked. That trouble comes in the form of Captain Meredith and his determination to be a stick in the mud. The jerk could likely find a fault in even the clearest day. However that's not the issue, the issue is-

“I refuse to fall victim to people selling things for stupid prices, or to be draged into another bar fight you start but can’t end.”

“Hey! That was one time! Well, I only instigated one, the others weren't really my fault.”

The look on his face would probably whither a stranger to ash but only wilts the edge of my stubborn streak.

“You children are why I’m going grey at twenty-eight.” He sighs for a truly ridiculous time.

”Fine, but don't expect me to talk you out of your mistakes. I don't want to deal with people .”

“You never do. Now let's go!” He lets me drag him out onto the street.

We make our way through the stalls, it seems to be a market day. At one of the stalls we picked up some odd spices Cookie might like. At some finery stalls the vendors get a touch too friendly leading to the Captain searing holes in their mortal soul, his glare really is too powerful. That's how most of the afternoon goes for us.

The sun is low in the sky when we find a ‘decent enough bar’ according to Cap, stubborn man he is, he was really only looking for one with a quiet wait staff. 

“Rum for me and somethin’ sweet for the pipsqueak.”

“Shovit jerk.”

“You wanna be pushed overboard fishy.”

“Ok rude, I only meant that I’m not that short, you just happen to be a giant! Ya know I don’t think we'd have to worry if the mast breaks, you could just stand with your arms out.”

“You know what, just for that, you're paying,” he flicks a napkin at me but the smirk in the corner of his mouth is playful, until it’s gone.

Turning to look around I only see a few patrons, none familiar. However something about the man by the door makes my eyes prick with fear.

“Before you ask, yes, I know them, they're bad news, and you should get out now.”

I look back at him startled, the expression on his face resembles the look he had in my dream, I’ve only seen it a few times since then. It’s the look of a killer with blood on his hands and crimson lining his vision. All I can do is nod and slip away out the back door. 

Except I don't get farther than that, as there's a wall of muscle in my way.

***

I watch Nereida slide through the backdoor, and all I can do now is, find out why the men who tried to use her so long ago are here. It was they who triggered my break away from the ‘family business’. I wait until they turn my direction to say anything.

“The hell are you doing here.” 

One turns in an instant.

“Well, if it isn't the younger Meredith brother! I haven't seen you in awhile,” his grin is pure unremorseful sin, matching his toxic green eyes.

“It’s very likely we're here for the same reason as you dear boy, couldn't get through that nasty storm. Oh, or perhaps it's because of the rumors. About a crew of misfits, the strangest of which being a girl whose beauty is entrancing, a voice hypnotizing as a siren song, and a captain who guards her like his life depends on it.” He leans in and I can feel my resolve to remain stoic, wear thin, “sound familiar?”

The last thing I notice is the door swinging open.

***

I’m taken to a small cove on the other side of the island by Mr. Wall o’Flesh. We’re in a dinky wooden boat and I can't focus. How did we get here? Wait where is here? I don't remember, is the floor wooden or stone, that chill is from the setting sun right? What other reason could it be? I'm going to be fi-

When did we enter a ship, it's so dark down here, no wait, there are lights, certainly more than on my home ship. So why can't I see?

We make it to the brigg, and it’s empty despite the profession of these men, bounty hunters, slavers, both. 

Maybe I can get out on my own? No, no I'm not strong enough for that, definitely,and I can’t go more than two feet without drawing attention. The joys of being spatially unaware and socially inept. It’s dark, so dark and I don't know what to do should i-

“Stop pacing before you sink the ship!” Someone shouts, it didn't sound like Mr. Immovable, wait did he even speak? I don't remember why can’t I remember, nothing makes sense anymore.

I think I might take a nap, clear my head, it’s- when did it start pounding, did I hit my head? No, just, calm down. I’m so tired, this will be good. I'm getting exhausted for some reason just, why can’t I sleep, why…

***

The stone tears into my palms, and knees, I was thrown into my cell again, I never should have left home. I’m crying now.

***

I’m swimming, alongside me is my family. A decent sized pod of merfolk, we’re happy under the waves while it storms above us. Not a care in the world.

There’s a slight current pulling me away, I don’t mind it until I notice the distance, the pull too strong for me to return, and I’m alone.

No you’re not, you have me.

“Who’s there?!”

I’m you, you know, it’s not so bad here, if you stayed it wouldn’t be so bad. Look, she, I, swim over to a reef, the small fish glide around her form, and it looks so, nice.

You miss this right? Having your tail, the freedom? You want to go home.

“I do, but no, this isn’t my home, this is where I was born maybe, and it was my home, but not anymore. My home is on the ship, with Isa, Cookie, with the captain.”

Suddenly the other me sneers, the captain, really? Why do you even trust him, you remember his family right, what his brother did to you?

The water gets colder, I’m sitting now, the waters gone. My shadow is not, she stands before me shackles in hand.

Remember now?

“Come now, if you’d just cooperate I won’t have to use force.”

My shadow is gone now, having morphed into the man I fear most still clutching the chain.

“Never,” I hear myself say, though I have no control over my mouth.

He growls angrily. “Fine. Just remember you chose this.”

***

“God, I can be a nightmare,” I groan, sitting in my new cell. I realize what just happened, “damn, I thought I was over these, guess I was wrong.” In my mind I know I never will be truly over what happened, but like hell if that will stop me from getting out of here! 

Deep breaths, let’s go.

*** 

I can hear commotion on deck, people sound pissed to say the least, how long have I been gone? Going off the sun, it's nearly noon, so not too long. 

In theory.

Once I reach the deck I can see why everyone’s making grumpy noises. The captain is standing tall on the upper deck, shouting orders left and right. Though Ember sitting curled on his shoulders kinda dulls the borderline murderous rage he’s emitting.

He’s shouting at a small group now, hardly paying attention to his surroundings, so it’s not hard to come up behind him. The others notice me and they look, tired? Definitely relieved. How odd. 

The captain doesn’t seem like he’s going to notice me anytime soon. I take in a deep breath and-

“Captain!” I shout, “what are my orders?”

He jumps as he whips around to face my battered grin. At first he looks ready to run me through with his sword, then the realization settles in. The exhausted relief takes over his face too.

“You’re safe.”

“Course I am Captain.”

***

Somehow, I’ve wound up wrapped in several blankets, patched up in a corner of the kitchen. Isa is telling me about how he walked into a bar and found the captain starting a bar fight of all things.

“No way, Isa that’s not possible. He would never do half the stuff you’re describing,” I’ve doubled over laughing at this point.

“Ok you got me there, but he came close to a few of those, he did deck the guy though! Literally as I walked in the owner started yelling to take it outside, and the captain was pinning a guy twice his size!”

“I saw those guys none of the people in the bar were close to being that big!”

“Fine maybe that one was- oh wait I think that was when he started tearing through the market trying to find a lead. When I say there was smoke billowing from his ears you should believe me, he was on the warpath, fruits and vegetables wilted in his wake!”

I’m laughing so hard my stomach hurts, after I calm Isa is just staring at me. I scoot closer.

“You know I’m doing ok right?”

Isa just nods, before pulling me into an awkward hug, blankets getting in the way, but it’s nice. 

Cookie walks in at that moment, “well isn’t this precious.”

Isa protests loudly to being called precious which is quite hilarious. 

“Hey, can I braid your beard now that it’s so long? Or, before you cut it short again?” I look over at the cook.

“If you can get untangled from lover boy over there, then sure,” there’s a glint in his eye that looks borderline evil.

Isa instantly shoots up, “oh shut up old man! Before I shove you into the ocean.” 

At the threat Cookie grimaces, an unsurprising reaction from him, though I still don’t know why he works on a ship with that attitude.

Suddenly there’s a shoe flying through the air, then vegetables, god I love these nutcases. 

***

It’s a week later when I finally get the captain to talk to me about what happened, and he seems more at peace when getting everything off his chest. We’re sitting on the edge, between beach and forest sharing a tree, just watching the mini waves hit the shore. 

“When was the last time you swam?” 

He just shrugs. Standing, I pull him with me into the water.

I feel my muscles liquify in the warm water, peace rushing over me. The charcoal I use to discolor my indigo hair, helping me pass more as a human.

Next to me the captain has a similar reaction. The waves trying to nudge us apart, but we stay firmly together. Neither of us wants to move, and I know, neither of us would give any of this up. 

Fin~

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has any ideas for adventures the cast can go on, please comment down below!!


End file.
